Beyond the Farthest Star (episode)
Kirk's crew come across an ancient derelict vessel, but something is still living inside it. Summary The ''Enterprise'' is on a starcharting mission on the fringe of the known galaxy, when it picks up mysterious radio emissions from Questar M-17. It sets course to investigate, but suddenly experiences severe hypergravitional effects from Questar M-17's negative star mass. The starship gets pulled towards the remnants of the star, but manages to obtain a standard orbit. The crew discover a huge damaged pod ship of unknown origin. It turns out this vessel is the source of the radio emissions. Spock analyzes the ship, and finds it is dead, without a crew or even an energy source that would explain the radio emissions. The hull material is stronger than any known metal, and data suggests the ship has been in orbit for 300 million years. The crew beam over in life support belts. The ship appears to have been built by an insectoid race and must have been deliberately destroyed by it's crew. When the Enterprise crew enter the command center of the ship, a ship's log starts playing, explaining that the original crew tried to crash into the star remnant to destroy a malevolent entity that was terrorizing the crew. When the landing party beam back aboard Enterprise, the malevolent entity uses the transporter to beam to the ship. It takes over control of the ship's systems, using Enterprise's phasers to destroy the insectoid craft. It turns out that the entity wants to use the Enterprise to take it away from the dead star. But Spock has placed the navigation console inside a static shield, so the entity cannot steer the ship. However, the entity has taken the crew hostage. Kirk acts as if he is obeying the entity, but actually plans to use the slingshot effect to break out of orbit. The entity, thinking Kirk is going to crash the Enterprise into the star, abandons the ship and is left behind. :Captain's log, stardate: 5221.8, final entry. Resuming outward course beyond the farthest star of our galaxy. Mission: star charting. Background information * A lot of sources, beginning with the Star Trek Concordance by Bjo Trimble, incorrectly list the stardate of this episode as 5521.3 * This episode was adapted for a novelization, written by Alan Dean Foster, published in Ballantine Books' Star Trek Log 1. * Lieutenant Kyle reappears from the original series, though voiced by James Doohan, replacing John Winston. * This episode marks the first and only use of the "Automatic Bridge Defense System". The device was never seen again in any subsequent series. * When the cutter-beams move the beam off of Scotty, the sound-effect it makes when it hits the floor is a common sound-effect from "The Flintstones." * Almost all sources list the original airdate for this episode as December 22, 1973. This was the original airdate in Los Angeles only, as it was preempted there because of George Takei's run for District Councilman and "equal time" issues. The actual airdate is September 8, 1973 (or seven years to the day from the 1966 premier of TOS). Memorable Quotes "Look, every pod, they've all been burst open." "Aye, from the inside from the looks of them." "Must have been some accident to get almost every pod." "Accidents seldom have such system, Dr. McCoy. I believe we must consider the alternative possibility. That the crew of this ship destroyed her… themselves." :Kirk, Scotty, McCoy, Spock "The whole ship is designed to receive and store energy." :Scotty "A physiological symtom of latent primal superstition. The fear of primitive people confronting something unknown to them." :Spock Links and References Main Cast * William Shatner as James T. Kirk * Leonard Nimoy as Mr. Spock * DeForest Kelley as Dr. Leonard McCoy * James Doohan as Engineer Montgomery Scott * George Takei as Lieutenant Sulu * Nichelle Nichols as Lieutenant Uhura Guest Stars * James Doohan as ** Kyle ** Engineer (USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) personnel) ** Pod ship commander ** Magnetic organism References cutting beam; core hatch; engineering core; hypergravity; magnetic organism; negative mass; Questar M-17 pod ship Category:TAS episodes de:Das körperlose Wesen nl:Beyond the Farthest Star